Chapter 18

Chapter 18

NEWSFLASH: The annual Vintage Ball is being held tomorrow, and all our favourite Upper East Siders are getting ready. Well, at least most of them are.
B has been seen on many occasions shopping to complete her perfect Audrey outfit, sometimes with her boyfriend, sometimes with her best friend. Leave it up to Blair Waldorf to drag anybody along just so she can have a second opinion on an accessory she’ll buy no matter what they say.
N has been shopping with a Waldorf in hand, helping to pick out the tux that will match her dress the most. I wouldn’t say young Archibald likes these trips, but it’s something he’s got to deal with if he’s going to be dating our UES Fashion Queen.
C was spotted searching for a tux as well, but we’ve also been seeing him stop outside a certain florist’s to look at the hydrangeas.
Little Jenny Humphrey looks to also be searching for a dress, but let’s just say we don’t expect her to show up in anything from Saks Fifth Avenue. In fact, we don’t expect her to show up at all. But Little J isn’t one to be predictable.
And our favourite It Couple, D and S, seem to be on the outs with each other. In one of my previous posts, I sported photos of Lonely Boy and Vanessa being all couple-y. Gag.
But at least they were sticking to Brooklyn. Without S, Dan is just another little outsider to our big, wonderful UES world.

xoxo, GOSSIP GIRL

“Hey man, thanks for sending those flowers. Blair loved them.” Nate was adjusting his bow tie as he inspected his tux for the Vintage Ball.
“Anything for Blair,” Chuck mumbled, checking his voicemail. No messages.
“Yep. But how did you even know that hydrangeas were Blair’s favourite?”
“Oh, she just mentioned it to me a while ago and I guess it stuck in my head.” Chuck checked his text inbox, too. No messages there, either.
“Well, she thought I sent them, and let’s just say she was extremely overjoyed.” Nate turned in front of the mirror, tugging at his pant leg to take out a fold. Chuck looked up at him.
“You mean… did you guys…” Chuck glanced nervously from Nate to his phone and back again.
Nate laughed. “No, not yet. It has to be perfect, you know?”
“Surprisingly, I would,” Chuck muttered under his breath, slipping his cell into his pocket.
“I’m thinking of ‘sealing the deal’, as you would say, the night of the ball. It’ll be classic and romantic. Plus, I think Blair’s getting a little anxious to lose her virginity.” Nate smiled. Chuck stared at him, wide-eyed.
“Yeah,” he said finally. “Must be.”
“So I’d better make it quick and get it over with. Once I sleep with her, she’ll know that I’m the only one she’ll ever want to be with.” Nate paused to fix his already perfect hair. “Oh, and by the way; you remember that time a while ago when I asked you to find out who that guy was? The one Blair was kissing in that grocery store? Did you find out?”
Chuck examined his fingernails. “Oh, uh, no, she didn’t tell me anything. But I don’t think he’ll be much of a problem now that you and Blair are back together.”
“Yup. I’ve sure got her wrapped around my finger, don’t I?”
“You sure do.”
Chuck began helping Nate with his suit, but when his friend wasn’t looking, young Bass was shooting more dark looks at him than a machine gun could have.

“Which do you think Nate will like better; diamonds, or pearls?” Blair was holding up different necklaces in front of her as she gazed into the mirror. Serena was sitting in an armchair beside her, helping with accessories.
“Well,” Serena said, grinning, “I know what Chuck likes better.” She nodded in the direction of the beautiful birthday present lying on Blair’s dresser.
Blair twirled around to glare at her best friend. “Shut up! I don’t care about Chuck. We’re just friends. Everything with him was just a mistake; he’s selfish and obnoxious, and Nate is the only one I want to be with.”
Serena raised her eyebrows at her best friend’s outburst.
“Pearls it is,” Blair decided, dropping the diamond jewellery back on the dresser. Serena just shook her head.

“Why do you even want to go to this stupid ball, anyway?” Vanessa sat on Jenny’s bed as J twirled around in a frilly, peach-coloured dress.
“Because this dance is going to be wonderful and classy and everything a girl could ever want. Besides a Debutante, of course.” Jenny smiled as she examined the hem in her mirror.
Vanessa sighed. “Balls are stupid. Especially themed ones. I mean, vintage? Come on, couldn’t they have thought of something better than that?”
Jenny glared at her. “I’ll have you know, vintage is in.”
“Oh, yes, and so original,” Vanessa said sarcastically. “I mean, they’ve only done this annual ball since vintage was invented.”
“Whatever. It’s important to Blair, and if it’s important to Blair, it’s important to me. I’ve got to win back her friendship.”
“Humph! Good luck,” Vanessa scoffed. “You’re just a footstool to that girl. Another one of her faithful servants.”
“That’s not true; Blair likes me. And so does Serena, actually. That reminds me; I wonder why she’s not coming.”
“Well, I can answer that. Serena doesn’t have a date.”
Jenny turned around to face Vanessa. “What do you mean? I thought Dan was okay with going with her.”
“He was, until they broke up.” Vanessa smiled as she examined her fingers.
“What? They broke up? Why?”
“Dan finally realized that girls like Serena are, oh, what’s the word? Undateable. They’re far too sl***y to hold onto a guy.”
Jenny looked at her, confused. “What?”
“Serena and Dan are over. Dan found his feelings for me buried deep beneath his dream of that van der Woodsen girl, and now he and I are officially an item.”
“Oh…” Jenny frowned as she adjusted her necklace.